‘We’ve always been there for each other.’ Haslem reflects on Wade’s career and friendship

The seeds for the longest partnership in Heat history were planted during the summer of 2003.

Dwyane Wade arrived as a ballyhooed rookie, selected fifth overall in that June’s draft.

Udonis Haslem arrived as an unheralded, undrafted and largely overlooked prospect signed by the Heat as a free agent after he spent a season playing in France and erasing 50 pounds from his 300-pound frame.

They immediately bonded.

“We were thrust into workouts together,” Haslem recalled last week. “I remember spending so much time together in the summer where we would go to the track together, then go to the weight room and then go upstairs and do our basketball stuff, then come downstairs and eat lunch and play pickup at Alonzo Mourning’s youth center and then come back and do another late-night workout.

“Literally, we spent seven days a week together that summer and found out how much stuff we had in common, and our relationship just continued to grow.”

They are completing their 15^th and final season together — a partnership interrupted only by Wade’s one season and Chicago and a half a season in Cleveland.

Their 15 years together are the most for any active NBA tandem and third all time behind John Stockton and Karl Malone (who played 18 seasons together in Utah) and Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili (16 years in San Antonio). Parker and Tim Duncan also played 15 years together with the Spurs.

But Haslem, who isn’t sure if he will retire after this season, will treasure their moments together as much or more than the three championships. Their late-night conversations. The interaction among their children. Their business ventures, including a restaurant in Aventura that opened last September.

“Just being there for each other,” is what Haslem calls the biggest takeaway of their friendship. “Going through divorces, losing my mom and all the tough times, we’ve always been there for each other. Losing our agent [Henry Thomas, who died after a battle with cancer].

“There are so many things we’ve always been there for each other. So when I think about our relationship, it’s always great when you’re winning championships and when you’re having fun and partying. But who can you turn to when you need somebody to talk to or when you need a shoulder to lean on when things aren’t going your way? Sometimes you just want to vent and you want somebody to listen to you. Those are the moments I remember, when the lights weren’t on and nobody was around and we were able to have those conversations.”

Haslem said from observing Wade evolve from a baby-faced rookie to NBA icon has been fascinating, and Wade has remained humble throughout.

“He hasn’t changed a bit,” Haslem said. “The outside world he’s taken so many different steps from being a basketball player to businessman and mogul. But as a person he hasn’t changed one bit.”

What has heartened Haslem about Wade’s final season is the level of adoration for him in opposing cities.

“It’s crazy to see how much love he has in the league,” Haslem said. “It’s not just respect. It’s genuine love for Dwyane Wade the basketball player and the human being. It’s one thing for people to respect what he’s done in this league. You can’t not respect the things he’s done, the things he’s accomplished. It’s a whole other thing to see the genuine love coming from opposing teams, opposing arenas, and opposing players. That’s special.”

Haslem and Wade expect to be friends for life.

But regardless of that, how will Haslem remember Wade years from now?

“Somebody that improved my quality of life on all levels,” Haslem said. “As a man, as a father, as a businessman, as an athlete, as a role model, in so many ways, helped me improve who I am personally.”

This story was originally published April 8, 2019 at 2:29 PM.